Fears begins its 180th anniversary celebrations with stone-dialled Celestial Jump Hour
Tom Austin- Fears celebrates its 180th anniversary with a very special 75-piece limited edition Brunswick Jump Hour.
- Housed in the 40.5mm stainless steel Brunswick case, the ‘Celestial’ features a stunning Astral Blu aventurine dial, with a mother-of-pearl moon-shaped inlay.
- Replicating a clear night sky, its single rhodium-plated hand points to minutes, which are laid out like a celestial map.
I’m happy to say that the choice in the microbrand arena is broader than ever. Smaller brands seem to be well and truly disrupting what was once a market dominated by big players, who, in the past, have told us what’s hot rather than allowing the consumer to direct the course of watch trends. Thanks to the rise of microbrands, that tide is turning.
Now, in watch-industry terms, most of these brands are pretty new, since wristwatch manufacturers tend to be among some of the oldest continually operating companies in history. However, Fears is one microbrand that holds a few more candles than most. 2026 marks Fears’ 180th anniversary, granted, with a relatively short break in between, but nevertheless, it’s impressive to see a British brand still gracing shelves after all this time. Today, Fears has announced a very special Jump Hour to commemorate those 180 years, and with only 75 available, these won’t be around for long.
The Brunswick Jump Hour initially began as a rare appearance in the Fears catalogue, momentarily appearing as a black-dialled limited edition, and then with a white dial as part of the British Watchmakers event last year. Subsequently, the elusive hour jumper reappeared later in the year as part of the core Brunswick collection, and now, it’s returned in the form of the limited edition ‘Celestial’.
Based on the Brunswick platform, it features a 316L stainless steel case with the now-familiar cushion case design. Its proportions sit at 40.5mm, and the lug-to-lug stretches to 47mm, but it’s still a very wearable size, largely due to the softly curved flanks and short lugs. As a daily wearer, it’s perfectly functional, with 100-meter water resistance and an anti-reflective sapphire crystal, although the many polished surfaces will make you want to take care of it.
Of course, the dial is the showstopper of the Celestial. The main dial plate is crafted from sparkling aventurine, which is set with a central piece of mother-of-pearl, selected to represent a full moon in a clear night’s sky. The natural surfaces make the effect quite striking; if they were augmented, it just wouldn’t have looked the same. Sitting above the central pearl moon is a single rhodium-plated minute hand that tracks across an alternating pattern laid out like the plots on a celestial map.
Then, of course, the all-important jumping hour marker sits at twelve to finish off the dial. Now, it could be said that the dial in the photos looks quite busy, but the aventurine’s starry effect makes it look quite dark and subtle in certain lights, and the way the light shimmers across the mother-of-pearl gives the dial a ghostly, captivating appearance.
Underneath that dial sits a durable Sellita SW200 automatic movement, which is coupled with a JJ01 jumping hour module from a Christopher Ward Bel Canto. This offers all the reliability and accuracy of a servicable Sw200, with the addition of an interesting complication to shake things up. Additionally, it features 25 jewels and beats at 4Hz, boasting an adequate 38-hour power reserve, and the rotor has been treated to some subtle decoration, which is visible through the exhibition caseback.
Finally, the Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour Celestial is available either with a Fears Barenia leather strap finished in blue, with a stainless steel engraved pin buckle, or the stunning bespoke 5-link stainless steel bracelet. The blue strap matches the dial well, but the bracelet gives the watch greater everyday-wear versatility, with its combination of polished and brushed links, paired with a comfortable butterfly clasp.
Fears Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour ‘Celestial’
The Fears Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour Celestial is available from the 9th of February 2026, and is limited to 75 pieces. Price: £4,350/US$4,500/€4,200/CHF 4,100 (strap), £4,550/US$4,700/€4,400/CHF 4,300 (bracelet)
| Brand | Fears |
| Model | Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour ‘Celestial’ |
| Reference | BS240.500A.109.034 /BS240.500A.109.002 |
| Case Dimensions | 40.5mm (D) x 12.8mm (T) x 47mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | 316L stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 100 meters |
| Crystal(s) | Domed sapphire, anti-reflective coating |
| Dial | Aventurine & mother-of-pearl |
| Lug Width | 20mm |
| Strap | Blue leather strap, pin buckle 5-link stainless steel bracelet, folding clasp |
| Movement | Sellita SW200 base with Christopher Ward JJ01 jumping hour module, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 38 hours |
| Functions | Jumping hours, minutes |
| Availability | Available from 9th February, limited to 75 pieces |
| Price | £4,350/US$4,500/€4,200/CHF 4,100 (strap) £4,550/US$4,700/€4,400/CHF 4,300 (bracelet) |